Forbidden in the Chamber
by Magelet1
Summary: People who's Ordeals you never hear about. PG for blood.
1. Jon

Jon's Ordeal  
  
I entered the Chamber prepared for what I thought was the worst that could happen going in without any weapons. I   
didn't know it was a mental and visual battle more than physical. This I wasn't quite ready for. The heavy doors closed   
behind me, sealing me in the cold, dark chamber.  
  
The first thing I saw was Alanna who was dressed as Alan of course. She was training, no, actually fighting someone!   
A man almost two feet taller than her was battling tooth and nail with a sword in one hand and chipped but sturdy looking   
dagger in the other. She was holding her own for the moment with Lightning, but soon began to lose. I heard a cry that I   
recognized as my own, and she looked up. This cost her. His dirk entered her chest, and went almost undoubtedly through her   
heart. The next moment her swept his sword across, levelly, decapitating her. Her head rolled across the floor, leaving a   
trail of blood, her eyes wide with shock and mouth fashioned in a silent 'o'. My lips moved in the shape of her name, but no   
sound came out. Sound is forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
Then suddenly she was gone, as was the man. I heard a noise and turned to see an older version of what I realized was   
myself being crowned. My coronation day? I didn't seem that much older than now, but then there was a commotion and an arrow   
headed for me. Not the older me, but the me that was taking the Ordeal. I dropped to the rough floor of the magical room and   
rolled to my left swiftly, jamming my elbow into the wall and, my Gift permitted me the knowledge that I had only bruised it.   
I looked at where the image of the older me had been and saw a shadowy figure remove the crown from in front of me and place   
it on their own head, declaring them monarch of the country and a picture of Tortall in ruin flashed through my mind. That   
could not happen to my country! That was a fear of mine- ruin and ultimate humiliation. I opened my mouth to protest, but   
remembered that I could not speak, only watch it happen. Sound is forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
Then I felt it. Pain like no other. I saw blood streaking down my arm as it pressed against something I could not see.   
There was a blinding light and I felt as if I could see into people's minds. I heard/felt fear, pain, wishes, all kinds of   
things. I saw all hundreds of bahzir going through what I was now, feeling like I carried every woe in the world on my s  
houlders, like I had no privacy in my head. I felt a life leave something close to me, and something in my head said something   
about 'The Voice', though what that was, I had no clue. It said 'now you are The Voice'. The pain was now almost unbearable,   
but I could not scream, my teeth were clenched together so tightly that no sound could escape my lips, but that was okay.   
Sound is forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
Suddenly everything stopped. It was once again dark. I was exhausted, my head pounded, and I could feel a trickle of   
blood running down my forearm. The doors opened. I saw that it was only a shallow cut that I had gotten and knew that it would   
leave no scar. Stumbling out, Alanna, who was to be my squire, and my cousin Gary were there to catch me if I fell.   
Gary would take his Ordeal next. What would it be like for my cousin in there? What would he see?  



	2. Gary

Gary's Ordeal  
By Magelet  
  
  
My turn had come. I was in shock for a second, but I knew that this was something I had to do. Jon was now a knight, and Raoul would do this after me.   
I was still stiff from the vigil, but hey, true knights are ready in all conditions at all times. The doors were open. I breathed deeply and went in to the   
Chamber.  
  
I shivered slightly as the doors shut behind me sealing into the unlit room. There was something there, but I wasn't sure quite what. More of a   
presence: as if someone else was in here with me.  
  
I took a few steps, but I wasn't in the chamber anymore, I was at a ball, dancing with this beautiful girl. She was short, had long, curly black hair,   
and violet eyes, which was odd. I'd only ever seen one person with purple eyes and that was Alan of Trebond, who was now Jon's squire. But this girl was   
lovely and I felt like I'd known her for a long time, but hardly met her. Suddenly, I was about to touch my lips with hers and her face and hair melted into   
Alan's! I drew back in shock.   
  
"Don't be afraid Gary, it's just me." He said in a girl's voice "What's wrong, Gary, Sir Gareth the Younger of Naxen. She/he traced his jaw-line with   
a delicate index finger. "Big, strong Gareth: cousin of the crown prince." It whispered in his ear. "What is there to be afraid about me? Are you afraid of   
me?" It asked looking straight into my eyes. I shook my head and reached for the knife that I kept in my boot. "You should be, Gary." It breathed into my   
right ear. "I'm dangerous. So very dangerous."   
  
It shifted into a lioness, an actual lioness! The rest of the ball room was empty I noticed suddenly, as the animal circled me once and then lunged   
at my head with a snarl. I jumped to the side quickly and the huntress splayed on the floor before melding into the lady again. She lifted her head. "Don't   
worry Gary, I wouldn't hurt you, but remember never get on my nerves, I am dangerous and you should be afraid of me." I opened my mouth to say that I wasn't   
afraid of it, no matter what it was, but snapped it shut remembering that sound was forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
She disappeared as if incinerating or something, becoming tiny bits and was suddenly not there.  
  
  
Then I saw myself sitting at a huge table splayed with papers, scrolls, books, ink, and pens. I wasn't the one doing it, but it seemed to be an   
older version of me.   
  
'I' was busy copying from a crumbling piece of parchment. I watched myself look out window and saw Raoul jousting with someone who must have been his   
squire. I actually felt almost sorry for the kid; Raoul was a monster, a very strong, tall, smart monster. Turning back to the work, we both sighed, his   
audible, mine internal.   
  
'My' arms were covered in ink stains. This was the life of a desk knight; we shook our heads, why couldn't the image of me be a knight in the field?   
No, this would not happen to me! I admit that I really don't jump at the chance to cut people apart, and blood is not on my list of the top ten things I most   
love to see, but I don't really want to be a desk knight of all things. It's almost an oxymoron!  
  
The door opened and in came a woman I recognized from the endless balls and such of court as Lady Cythera of... of..., uh, where was she from again?   
I'll have to ask Jon.  
  
'I' kissed her lightly.   
  
'Where did that come from?' I wondered. We'd danced a few times, and I like her a lot, but come on!  
  
Cythera smiled sadly. Then the door opened again. Jon came in and put his arm around her, kissing her cheek. I felt my heart wrench and saw 'my' face   
turn stony. 'I' nodded curtly to Jon, got up and left the room.   
  
  
The scene dissipated and I was still in the palace, but in the throne room, sword in hand. The sword was flecked with blood. A man in street clothes   
attacked me.   
  
He wasn't from the streets by the way he fought. He'd been taught by a noble or something, his strategy was that of a normal field soldier with a   
bit of training.  
  
He struck my cheek with the pommel of a knife, and I saw an opening. I thought of it as I was sure to be colorful the next day, he received a gift   
from me. The chance not to see another day, and a pretty bit of red to add some color to his drab clothing. Black God guide him, even if he tried to kill me.  
  
  
I felt a sharp pain in my back as I pulled my sword from the corpse. I would have cried out but, in the back of my mind I knew that I was in someplace   
where sound was forbidden.   
  
I saw black for a few seconds, and shut my eyes. Opening them once more, I realized that I had forgotten that I was actually in the Chamber of Ordeal.   
The doors opened. I had survived. Stumbling forth, I realized how much of a hammer the thing was. I looked about quickly, and saw Cythera standing among the   
crowd, I could have smiled. It would be good to lie down, but I was happy with the idea that came to my mind then.   
  
I was a knight. I had made it.  
  
Raoul's Ordeal is tomorrow, I wonder what he'll see.  
  



	3. Raoul

Forbidden in the Chamber  
Chapter Three: Raoul of Goldenlake  
By Magelet  
  
Stiffly, Raoul of Goldenlake rose from the spot where he had spent his all-night vigil. To be honest, although he had reflected on his years and actions as a page and squire, and the years to come and his duties as a knight, he had spent at least an hour of time wondering what time it was, if it was always so cold in the Temple at night, and what really was in the bloody chamber. He had nothing but respect for the Chamber of Ordeal, but he'd seen people come out of that thing, and it was not a pretty picture sometimes.  
  
He slowly made his way to the Chamber doors that clanked open, hesitated briefly, then went inside. What had he hesitated for? He was no chicken.  
  
Suddenly, Raoul swore that there was someone behind him and spun abruptly. He was in an elaborate ballroom. Ah, so this is why he had hesitated.  
  
As if being in the room wasn't bad enough, a surge of ladies moved in his direction. They surrounded him in a blur of prettiness and color. He, or one, lost his color. Remembering sub-consciously that he was in the Chamber of Ordeal, he silently made his excuses to the ladies without actually saying anything, mouthing that he had lost his voice, as sound was forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
Breaking away from them, he wandered away, wondering what was next. He heard men whispering about him.  
  
"Did you see the way he just up and walked away from all those ladies? Just shook them off! I hear he prefers men, that one does. Maybe like his little page friend of his that supposedly doesn't like social functions. Or maybe he is in love with the prince."  
  
Outraged, Raoul turned to settle this man's jaw in a way so that it would never say such things again, when he saw that it was none other than Ralon of Malven. Opening his mouth to thrash his nemesis verbally before physically when, once more, his memory served him over his flaring temper, and reminded him that this scenario wasn't real, and that sound was forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
In this time of revelation, he also realized that if he, even though he liked women very much and didn't want people who misunderstood his avoidance of them and saying otherwise, kept avoiding them like a plague of the Sweating Sickness and stayed single for very long, then such things would be said. Taking a moment, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to this fact.  
  
Opening his eyes, he was in a totally different situation. Concluding that all of the upset and negative attention was directed at Duke Roger, what must have been Alan's twin Thom, and a young lady that looked remarkably like Alan himself, but this was obviously a girl.  
  
All around the room, people were staring at the afore mentioned three. The girl's shirt as split open and, oddly enough, she held Lightning. The man Raoul supposed was Thom was saying something, but he couldn't tell what, as the girl ducked behind some hangings, and emerged with her shirt covering her properly.  
  
The King asked who know that this woman was that, a woman. This young lady not unlike his friend couldn't be Alan! But forward came Coram, Alan's man-at-arms, Thom, Jon, Myles, Gary; all of them! Raoul's head was spinning; he was so confused, but trying to regain control of his head.  
  
He just wanted to yell at the world to stop! There was a roar of voices in his ears and he fell to the floor, hands over his ears, tears streaming down his face, but no sound. Oh no. Sound was forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
His eyes opened and flew wider as he took in the sight of his new surroundings. People were trying to kill Jon. A lot of people! There must have been at least ten score fighting to get to the prince and kill him.   
  
Reaching for his sword to use in the defense of his friend and prince, he was more than dismayed to find it not there. Jon as going to be murdered, and there was nothing that he could do about it. This had to be his worst nightmare; the worst thing he could, but never would, imagine.  
  
Unable to do much of anything, Raoul felt like a traitor in the mail that he found himself wearing.  
  
On an inspired impulse, he grabbed an axe from a swordsman's belt. Literally cutting his way through to his prince, he gave Jon, who had a sword in one hand, his stolen axe. Hurriedly, Raoul, without worry as to injury for himself, stripped off the chain mail shirt, and gave it to his friend, taking both of the weapons so that he could cover them. Grimly, he ran a man through. He opened his mouth to give a battle cry, but shut it quickly for two reasons: the first being that wanted to save breath, the second; sound was forbidden in the Chamber.  
  
Raoul felt weight on the back of his head and everything went black.  
  
Once more he heard a noise and he fumbled to rise and meet it once more. He stumbled into the light, ready to fight whatever the chamber was hurling at him now.  
  
It took him a moment to realize that his Ordeal was over. He was a knight of Tortall.  
  
I he hadn't been so tired, he would have smiled. From now on, he swore to himself, he would talk as much as permitted. Silence was scary. I he saw stuff like that, what would everyone else see?  
  
  
  
  
~~Before you review and correct me saying 'Raoul can't know Alanna's a girl! He would have said something' or something of the like, let me clear this up. If you know the books very well, you also know that they are not allowed to speak of what they saw or did in the Chamber, so therefore; Raoul couldn't say anything to anyone. End of story. (That on at least, not the whole thing, of course. Whose should I write next? Alex?~~ 


End file.
